The Andean Information Network would like to add its voice to the resounding expressions of deep sadness over of the death of Benjamin Kohl and the tributes to his memory.
Ben was one of the primary driving forces behind AIN, along with his wife, co-founder Linda Farthing. Without their impetus and caring and the support of the rest of Ben’s family, AIN would not exist today. A loving spouse, father and friend, as well as a skilled scholar and dedicated advocate, he spent his life dedicated to promoting social justice and a more profound understanding of Bolivia. Always available for advice, analysis, moral support, and often sorely-needed perspective, Ben’s contribution to our efforts was unwavering. We would like to express our condolences and solidarity to his family, who have always been there for AIN for over two decades. We will miss him every day and will work to honor his memory.
Linda shared the following memorial:
Ben Kohl, a full professor in the Geography and Urban Studies Department at Temple University, died suddenly at 59 in Philadelphia of cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife Linda Farthing and two children — a daughter, Maya Farthing-Kohl, and his son, Minka Farthing-Kohl, as well as his parents, two brothers and a sister, and nine nieces and nephews.
Ben was a passionate scholar and teacher, among the world’s leading English-language Bolivianists. He took an uncommon path to academia: returning to university at 40 after working for over a decade as an auto mechanic and elevator constructor, and in appropriate technology projects in rural Bolivia.
His 2011 book, with his wife Linda Farthing, From the Mines to the Streets: A Bolivian Activist’s Life (U Texas Press), is a rich biography of a lifelong activist, who barely survived Bolivia’s military dictatorships. Ben’s previous book, Impasse in Bolivia: Neoliberal Restructuring and Popular Resistance (Zed Press, 2006, also with Linda) documents one of the world’s primary examples of neoliberal restructuring and the power of Bolivian social movement. Their forthcoming book examines what the successes and failures of the Evo Morales’ government efforts to improve life in one of the hemisphere’s poorest countries (U Texas Press, spring 2014). A longtime colleague says:
Ben represented an intellectual and political hero for me. I have always respected his deep commitment to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. He, in many ways, was one of these rare intellectuals. He wrote with political conviction, while at the same time, remained grounded in what matters (history, family, and community).
He was a dedicated teacher, recognized for his passion and generosity, guiding and empowering students, and supporting junior faculty. A former student wrote, “it was evident he really cared about social justice and was really trying to make the world, not just the US, a better place. I can honestly say I don’t know if I would be where I am now without all of his help…and am sure I am just one of hundreds of students who really admired him.”
Ben was passionate about living as well. As his Cornell professor put it, “We will miss the scholarship that was on its way from this wonderful man, but those who knew Ben closely will miss his warm laughter, generosity, and human insights even more. For someone with such critical political instincts, Ben was such an uncritical friend.”
A celebration of his life is scheduled for August 24th at , at The Spring Gardens, located at North Street between 18th and 19th Street in Philadelphia. The family welcomes donations to Temple University’s 20/20 scholarship fund in Ben’s memory. Additional celebrations are planned for Ithaca, New York, as well as Cochabamba, Sucre and La Paz, Bolivia.
Here is another lovely tribute to Ben in NACLA Report on the Americas: http://nacla.org/
